Aretha Franklin

Released: March 23, 1998

Songwriter: Norman West

Producer: Narada Michael Walden

[Intro]
Darling, darling, darling
I want to know, want to know, want to know

[Chorus]
Are you going to watch my back?
Tell me, you know I got your back
Tell me, are you going to watch my back?
Tell me, watch my back, watch my back, baby

[Verse 1]
Are you in love, baby?
We've been hanging, hanging, hanging for a long time now, yeah
Working steady round and round the clock we go
You know I've got your back and I'm playing phat tracks now
We're living in ever changing times
So tighten up your game and you know I'll do the same now yeah
You know I know the score, walk through the open door
So tell me, you couldn't ask for anything more, yeah
I'm glad I have the time to do things I like do
So I can show some love to you, and you, and you, yeah
We're in the middle of a perfect fit
And I wouldn't quit, and I'm down for a mighty fix

[Chorus]
Are you going to watch my back?
(Every day and every way, yeah)
Tell me, you know I got your back
(Oh, do you baby, or is it maybe?)
Tell me, are you going to watch my back?
(Oh, yes I am and I'm gonna jam)
Tell me, watch my back, watch my back, baby
(Watch my back, yeah)

[Verse 2]
Ah, now the time is here
If you're committed, concentrate your will, well
Now I can take the time
I don't want to move too fast
You see, I can make it last now, yeah
Honey, you can call on me
Baby, please come to me
Be all you can be
Grow strong
Working, we're playing
We've got it going on
You know the vibe is strong
It feels so right that it can't be wrong

[Chorus]
Are you going to watch my back?
(I wanna know, I wanna know)
Tell me, you know I got your back
(I wanna, I wanna, I wanna know now)
Tell me, are you going to watch my back?
(Oh, yes I am and I'm gonna jam)
Tell me, watch my back, watch my back, baby

[Bridge]
Oh, the world is ever changing
What I really wanna know is: are you gonna watch my back?
Are you gonna watch my back
I need you, I need you, need you, need you
You know it, you know it, you know it
Oh, I need you baby you know

[Chorus]
Are you going to watch my back
(Every, every day in every way)
Tell me, you know I got your back
(Hey, do you baby, or is it maybe?)
Tell me, are you going to watch my back
(When things change I know you're game)
Tell me, watch my back, watch my back, baby

Are you going to watch my back
(Yes I am, oh, yes I am)
Tell me, you know I got your back
(I know it, I know it, I know it, I know it, I know it)
Tell me, are you going to watch my back
(Yeah now)
Tell me, watch my back, watch my back, baby

[Outro]
I got your back, hey baby
(Do ya, do ya got my back now?
It's rough out here, yes it is)
I got your back, hey baby
(Do you got my, do you got my back, boy?)
I got your back, hey baby
(Hey baby, do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya)
I got your back, hey baby
(Hey, you got my back, baby)
I got your back, hey baby

Aretha Franklin is both a 20th and 21st century musical and cultural icon known simply by her first Aretha. She is the reigning and undisputed “Queen Of Soul” with a legacy that spans five decades. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Aretha began her career singing gospel at her father, minister C. L. Franklin’s church as a child. In 1960, at the age of 18, Aretha embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records with modest success.

After moving to Atlantic Records in 1967, she released a steady string of US top ten hits through 1973 including “Spanish Harlem”, “Chain Of Fools”, “Baby I Love You”, “Since You’ve Been Gone”, “Daydreaming”, “The House That Jack Built”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", ”Think“ and her first chart-topper “Respect” – a song that also won Aretha her first of 18 Grammys. During this time, several of her songs were also successful overseas.

By the mid-70s, Aretha’s commercial success waned and she left Atlantic for Clive Davis' Arista Records in 1980. Her 1982 song “Jump to It,” returned her to the top 40 for the first time in six years. 1985’s Who’s Zoomin' Who? got her back into the top 10 twice with its title track and “Freeway Of Love”. Four more songs reached the top 40 through 1986.

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